Oklahoma’s first game in the SEC will also mark the first starts in SEC competition for former five-star quarterbacks [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and Nico Iamaleava. But another first will also occur on September 21 when the Tennessee Volunteers roll into Norman.
It will be the first time for national championship winning quarterback and former offensive coordinator [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag] to be at Oklahoma. Despite the distance between OU and one of the most beloved players and coaches in its history, Heupel’s excited for his return.
“First time I will have been back,” Heupel said. “It’ll be unique for myself to be on the other side of the sideline. Obviously there’s been a lot of Saturdays where I was on the home sideline. But there are so many great teammates, friends that will be there. Got great respect for the university, the program. A lot of friends that are coaching on the opposing sideline that day, former teammates that will be coaching on that opposing sideline, too. So it’ll be unique to be back there, but excited to be there.”
Much of the fanfare on that Saturday in September will come from the on the field introduction of the Sooners to the SEC. It will be an incredible environment and the eyes of the football world will be on how Brent Venables’ squad performs.
At the same time, everyone’s eager to welcome Heupel back to town. When asked if he could have foreseen being on the opposing sideline from Oklahoma and former colleague Brent Venables, Heupel shared his respect for Venables, saying, “Brent, I got great respect for Brent, playing while he was coaching, but also being beside him in the staff room.”
In a business that comes down to performance and wins and losses, what lasts beyond that are the relationships. And the return provides Heupel an opportunity to reunite with former teammates, friends, coaches, and the administrators he’s know for more than two decades.
“I think it’s an exciting time to be in this league and really unique that I’ll have an opportunity to go back to Oklahoma,” Heupel said. “It’ll be a completely different viewpoint on that Saturday afternoon or evening, whenever the game is. But it’ll be unique for me. Got family that still lives back there. A lot of friends, teammates, coaches that I stay in contact that coached me while I was there, and obviously administration, too. So it’ll be a unique Saturday.”
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